Sliding Doors
by Kelly the Vampire Witch
Summary: Buffy's Whole Life Will Change In An Instant. AU.
1. Chapter 1

I don't own Buffy all the characters are Joss Whedon's and the plot is the movie Sliding Doors. So you can tell I have no creativity.

A/N Ana and Chrissie I am sorry I couldn't continue The Chip, but it really wasn't working with a guy protagonist. I know Buffy will be better.

A/N The scenes in italics are Buffy's second life.

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Buffy rolled over and groaned at the alarm clock. Grudgingly she turned it off and headed to the bathroom to shower and change for work at the Magic Box. There are some days you just shouldn't get out of bed and this was going to be one of them. Buffy kissed her sleeping boyfriend Angel goodbye before she left.

&&&

"I'm what!" Buffy shrieked at Anya, her boss.

"You're fired." Anya repeated. "You are constantly late and have no appreciation or respect for the money. Besides since Giles left me in charge I feel the need to make some new changes around here."

"You know what Anya, I will not even give you the satisfaction of a retort." Buffy fumed as she left the Magic Box slamming the door hard enough that the bell was ripped off its hinges.

&&&

"What am I going to do now?" Buffy sat on the bench crying, her earlier anger replaced by fear. Angel had been out of work for a year to finish his art collection for the gallery her mother used to own before she died. Now they were a two person apartment with no income coming in. "Well I guess the best thing would to be to go home and update my resume and check the classified." Buffy sighed getting up and walking to the subway.

While running down the steps Buffy collided with a man with a briefcase which opened sending papers everywhere. Buffy helped the man retrieve the papers, but she missed the subway.

_While running down the steps Buffy nearly collided with a man, but avoided the collision and managed to get onto the subway as the door was closing._


	2. Chapter 2

After Buffy missed the subway, she angrily walked back up the steps to hail a taxi, but was so preoccupied she didn't notice the thief until he was trying to steal her purse. She bravely fought him off, but was knocked badly against a tree as the thief escaped. A taxi driver pulled up and helped Buffy to the hospital.

&&&

_On the subway was looking at a magazine that had been in her bag when a blonde man walked up to her._

"_Mind if I sit 'ere pet?" He asked in a friendly English ascent. _

"_Knock yourself out," Buffy barely looked up from her magazine. All she wanted to do was go home and talk to Angel about her bad day._

"_Wouldn't that hurt," the blonde man joked trying to get Buffy's attention. "Sorry for not introducing myself properly I'm Spike Pratt." He smiled as he offered his hand for a few seconds until it became obvious that she wasn't paying attention to him, "And you are?"_

"_So not interested," Buffy responded but then sighed and looked at Spike. "I'm sorry, I'm really not this rude usually, but this has been a really bad day and all I want is to get home and relax."_

&&&

Buffy was frustrated that Angel had chosen the day she went to the hospital with a concussion the day to take the phone off the hook while he painted. After a few minutes she decided to just take another taxi home.

&&&

_As Buffy walked through the door she could here voices coming from the bedroom. Does Angel have the TV on? I will so punish him for watching daytime television when he's supposed to be painted. She smiled wickedly, but the smile was soon erased when she walked through the bedroom door and found Angel having sex with a beautiful blonde woman._

&&&

As Buffy walked through the door she heard the shower running and upon entering the bedroom was disappointed to see everything as mess and disorganized as she'd left it this morning when she'd run out the door. She was going to have to talk to Angel about his lack of housekeeping abilities.

"Hey, when did you get home?" Angel asked smiled as he came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his stomach and water seductively dripping off his bare chest.

"Two seconds ago," Buffy went over to him and gave him a passionate kiss, all of the horrible day forgotten as she escaped into the arms of her lover.

Angel was preoccupied with his own thoughts. I've got to tell Darla that we are over. I love Buffy too much to keep betraying her like this.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N Sorry guys, but I'm taking a summer class until August 11. I'm just getting over a bad cough. I just moved apartments with Shadowfax and the new place won't have internet until at least August 1 and I still have to go clean the old place. So, please be patient with me. I promise I will finish the story before September.

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_Buffy couldn't believe what she was seeing, "Angel who is the strange woman in my bed?"_

"_Her name is Darla," the blonde smiled at her as she got dressed and let herself out of the apartment._

"_Well I got sacked today and apparently so did you." Buffy stood stone face in the doorway. "I must say this is a surprise," she turned away from him to turn off the television. "I didn't even think you liked Oprah." _

&&&

Angel got out of Buffy's embrace and noticed the bandage on her forehead, "Honey, are you okay?"

"Oh yeah, I mean Anya fired me and a thief threw me into a tree when he couldn't get my purse, but I don't have a concussion and I'll start looking through the want ads tomorrow. Tonight however I am devoting to you and this little towel."

&&&

_After several minutes to therapeutic slapping the hell out of Angel, Buffy threw the claddagh ring he had given her at his face and walked out the door. _

&&&

As Buffy and Angel fell onto the bed she noticed two brandy glasses on the nightstand, but decided it must have been from the party they had the previous night.

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"_Willow thank god you're home," Buffy cried as her best friend opened the door._

"_Buffy, what…" Willow began and then realized. "What did Angel do?"_

"_I caught him having sex with a Darla."_

"_That evil two-timing bastard," Willow exclaimed in outrage. "Well there is only one thing to do." She grabbed her purse and walked outside to lock her door. "We are getting you drunk and then you are staying here with me and Tara." _

&&&

"Hey," Angel rolled over on the bed. "How about we go out tonight? I promise after a few drinks you won't even care about getting fired from the Magic Box."

"As long as I'm with you," Buffy sighed happily going to take a shower and change before they went out. She noticed an earring on the counter that wasn't hers and promised herself she'd return it to Willow.

&&&

"_Men, who needs them?" Buffy slurred. "I mean you spend years building up a committed and trusting relationship with one of them and then they decide that they are too much of a man for one woman and need to spread themselves out."_

"_Preaching to the choir here," Willow agreed pouring her friend another drink, "Remember Oz? Dumb Veruca."_

"_They are all incredibly horrible." Buffy put her head down on the table as Spike walked in._

&&&

Angel is absolutely perfect, Buffy decided as they sipped too much wine with their dinner. No matter how bad things get I can always trust him.


	4. Chapter 4

"_Hey Not Interested, fancy meeting you here," Spike smiled as he walked up to Buffy and Willow._

"_Do you know him?" Willow asked Buffy curious about the new man standing in front of them._

"_Sorry, we met on the subway this morning. I asked her if I could sit down and she snapped at me. I'm Spike," Spike offered his hand to Willow. _

"_Willow, sorry she was mad, but today has just totally sucked." Willow shook his hand sympathetically._

"_So, I heard" Spike nodded, "but if it makes you feel any better drinks are on me. I own the bar and I've had a bad day or two in my time. As the Monty Python Boys said 'No one expects the Spanish inquisition.'" Spike smiled as he walked to the other side of the bar to talk to the bartender._

"_Hey Buffy," Willow teased her friend who was almost unconscious at this point. "I think someone likes you."_

&&&

"Angel," Buffy giggled after several glasses of wine. "I think you better take me home. I need to start job hunting tomorrow and if we don't go soon I won't be able to walk under the power of my own two feet."

"Well, I could always carry you." Angel smirked as they paid the check and walked out of the restaurant.

"You wouldn't dare," Buffy giggled in a fresh wave of giggles as he picked her up and carried her back to the apartment.

"Oh wouldn't I?"

&&&

"_Thanks for helping," Willow smiled gratefully at Spike, who was holding a passed out Buffy. "I should have stopped her before she'd have trouble getting to the taxi."_

"_No problem," Spike smiled, "glad to help and tell her I hope everything works out for her."_

"_I will," Willow smiled at him as he put Buffy into the car and walked back into the bar. "Yep he definitely has a thing for Buffy"_


	5. Chapter 5

Buffy was exhausted. Now she remembered why she hated job hunting. Worst of all, there were no job openings except in the food service industry. Great I get to serve food all day. This is just what my figure needs. She put on a fake smile as she walked into the Double Meat Palace.

&&&

"_Morning sleepyhead," Willow smiled cheerfully as she opened the blinds in the guestroom where Buffy was sleeping._

"_Uhhh," was the only reply that came from the lump on the bed. _

"_Come on Buffy I don't have class till this afternoon and I have a surprise that is going to change your whole outlook on your current situation."_

&&&

"Even pulling double shifts I won't make enough," Buffy sighed looking at her salary at the Double Meat Palace. "I guess I'm moonlighting at another restaurant."

&&&

"_Getting my hair cut," Buffy looked skeptically at Willow. "How is getting my hair cut supposed to change my outlook on my boyfriend cheating on me?"_

"_Well for one thing it will take less time to manage while you're brooding around the house and for another it might attract the attention of a certain blonde bar owner we met yesterday."_

"_You are trying to set me up with the guy I met on the subway!" Buffy rolled her eyes at her friend. "Sorry Wills, but I think since you started dating Tara your choice in men has gone down."_

"_Said the person who was letting Angel walk all over her," Willow reminded her friend. "Come on, he seemed nice and he paid for our drinks last night and helped me get you into the cab."_

_Buffy looked at her new hairstyle in the mirror, "Well I guess it couldn't hurt to apologize for how I acted yesterday. Only to be polite."_

&&&

"Hey honey," Buffy called from the kitchen. "Can you get me the two brandy glasses in the bedroom? I'm trying to finish washing the dishes."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Angel snapped coming into the kitchen.

"I think it means I'm washing the dishes?" Buffy asked confused by Angel's sudden change in behavior. "Please just get me the glasses I'm up to my elbows in soap suds here."

"No, I meant the crack about there being two of them, like I was cheating on you or something." Angel challenged.

"I never said anything like that." Buffy gasped shocked. "I trust you Angel."

"Whatever, get them yourself I'm going to the art studio." Angel stormed out of the apartment.

&&&

_Spike was surprised to see the pretty blonde from yesterday standing in front of him as he looked up from balancing the books for the bar. "Well hello again luv,"_

"_Hi," Buffy smiled awkwardly. "Willow told me how much you helped last night and I just wanted to thank you in person when I was sober, not that this is the only time of day I'm sober, I can go months without alcohol it was just with my being fired and seeing my boyfriend cheating on me I went on a binge yesterday and if I knew I was going to ramble like this I would have brought water."_

"_Well I can help with the water situation," Spike smiled, "if you can help me with a question that has been bugging me."_

"_I can try," Buffy sat down next to him._

"_See I met the strangest girl yesterday and I still haven't figured out her name."_

"_Buffy Summers," Buffy smiled sticking her hand out to shake._

"_Well Buffy Summers, now that we have been properly introduced. How about we forget about the water and I treat you to the best milkshakes in the city?" Spike stood up and offered her his arms._

"_I'm not busy," She smiled as she looped her arm through his and they head off. _


	6. Chapter 6

"I can't believe I'm following Angel," Buffy sighed. She had gotten a nagging feeling in the back of her head after he had stormed out of the house. "I do trust him, but he has been acting so weird lately. I just want to know what's bothering him." As she watched him walk into the art studio she turned and walked home to finish the dishes. "I guess I'll ask him when he gets home tonight."

"Hey Darla, no I'm not coming over Buffy followed me." Angel said into the pay phone in the art studio. "Yes, we are still on for the trip this weekend. No, I made sure Buffy couldn't make it before I told her about it. Goodbye Darla, I'll see you Friday."

&&&

"_So then the bloke walks right up to me and says, 'dude the Clash are way better than the Sex Pistols.' Of course I had no other choice then to have him kicked out of the bar." Spike sipped his chocolate milkshake while Buffy giggled. _

"_You seriously kicked someone out of a bar for not having the same taste in British punk music than you?" Buffy scoffed spooning some of her strawberry milkshake into her mouth. _

"_Hey, there are three things a British man is always serious about music, hops, and football." Spike told her._

"_Football, as in 'the American Pastime'?" Buffy asked. _

"_I believe that is baseball," Spike smirked._

"_Not in the South," Buffy told him knowingly. "When football season comes around in the South forget trying to get a guys attention unless you wear a cheerleading uniform."_

"_That gets a guys attention no matter where you're from, anyway I believe you are talking about that American version of rugby, whereas I am talking about what you call soccer."_

"_Guys kicking a ball around a field and yet never scoring fascinating."_

"_Oi, I was going to invite you to a game, but if you don't want to come."_

"_No," Buffy said quickly, "I loved to."_

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"Miss Summers is it?" Darla Hampton looked up from her computer as Buffy entered her office. As an attorney at Wolfram and Hart Darla had special privileges, among the lesser of them was a choice of where to order in food. She had chosen Double Meat Palace particularly so she could meet the girl Angel was always fussing over. She'd seen her a few times delivering hamburgers to her staff and today she was going to get to talk to her. "I am sorry to tell you but my office will no longer be ordering from your … establishment. Three of my clerks went home sick yesterday with food poisoning caused by your food. Now I understand to someone in the food industry the caseload of a law office wouldn't seem that important, but I assure you it is of the up most importance to me and I would advise you to be more careful when preparing food otherwise one of these days you are going to get sued, just a piece of legal advice from you to me."

&&&

_Buffy was surprised by how much she loved watching soccer. Okay so she was really watching Spike get all sweaty and having his soccer shorts sticking to his well defined calves, but it was still watching the game. Right?_

&&&

"I just met the most horrible woman in the world," Buffy announced as she walked through the front door and put her purse and coat in the closet.

"Buffy, is that you?" Angel came from the kitchen where he'd been on the phone with Darla planning there weekend getaway.

"Yeah baby, it's me or what's left of me. The woman I met today totally destroyed me. It took all my energy not to jump over that desk and strangle her." Buffy sighed as she laid down on the bed. "Would you mind if we had dinner late tonight? I feel like I need a nap."

"Of course," Angel said sincerely laying down next to her, "just tell me about your horrible day as you drift off to sleep."

"I just really hate this Darla woman," Buffy yawned as sleep overcame her.

Angel tensed as he heard his mistress' name. "Uh Buffy, where did you say this Darla worked?"

"Wolfram and Hart," Buffy answered as she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

"See Buffy, I think I might know why she wanted to talk to you it's because…" Angel started but then noticed that Buffy's breathing had become slower and deeper in sleep and sighed, "because I'm cheating on you with her, but I am positively breaking up with her this weekend. I love you." And he kissed her cheek as he decided to take a nap with the woman he truly loved.

&&&

"_That was incredible," Buffy smiled at Spike as they walked through town together after the game. _

"_Not a bunch of_ _guys kicking a ball around a field and yet never scoring," Spike teased._

"_Nope there was definite scorage. I actually just said that didn't I? Look it's not that I don't like you, but I just got off a two year relationship that ended badly and I like you too much to make you the rebound guy." _

"_It's okay, I understand. I'm actually on the rebound myself."_

"_You are?" Buffy asked intrigued Spike never talked about his relationships._

"_Oh yes, incredible girl broke my heart when she moved away."_

"_I'm so sorry. Did she have to move because of her job?"_

"_No her father's job, we were eight."_

_Buffy stopped and looked at Spike, "How do you always know how to make me feel better by cracking a joke?"_

"_That wasn't a joke, I'm bloody serious here. Cecily nearly destroyed me. If there's one thing a British man is always serious about it is women."_

"_I thought it was music, hops, and football."_

"_I'm talking about relationships and all you can talk about is entertainment?"_

_Buffy rolled her eyes knowing she wasn't going to win this fight. "You are impossible, you know that, but I want to show you something. Something not even Angel knew."_

"_So you come up here a lot?" Spike asked after Buffy had taken him to the cliff where she went to think about things._

"_I used to. Before my parents were divorced it was hard being in the house sometimes so I came up here. It's nice to look down on the entire city and think about all the other people down there going through life. I always hoped that they were happier than me."_

"_Sorry Luv, I know how that feels, my folks split too." Spike came up behind her and held her in a loose hug. "'No one expects the Spanish inquisition,' but it gets better."_

"_Yeah, it really does," Buffy looked up into his deep blue eyes and without even thinking kissed him passionately._

"_What about not making me the rebound guy?" Spike asked as he pulled gently away from the kiss._

"_It's not rebound, if you love the guy more." Buffy smiled before being swept away in passionate kisses she hoped would never end. _


	7. Chapter 7

When Buffy woke the next morning she was disappointed to see that Angel had gone leaving her only a note telling her he'd be back from his trip in a few days. She groaned and got up to get ready for work at the Double Meat.

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_When Buffy woke the next morning she was surprised to feel warm arms around her, then she remembered kissing Spike last night and how things had escalated. Smiling she opened her eyes to see a pair of blue ones staring at her._

"_Sorry, I didn't want to wake you," Spike smiled kissing her. _

"_That's okay you're nice to wake up to," Buffy deepened the kiss and was rolling her body on top of him when she noticed the clock on the nightstand. "Oh god, I have class in an hour." She screamed as she rolled off him and started hunting the room for her clothes, which had been scattered the night before in their haste. "Sorry, but Willow and Tara got me into their English Class at UC Sunnydale and its kind of bad to show up late for your first college class in two years."_

"_Its okay, I'm glad you're going back to school. Can I see you tonight?" Spike asked not moving from the bed._

_Buffy pulled on her blouse and moved seductively over to him, "I promise I'll be at the bar by five," she kissed him. "Darn higher education," she sighed as she took one more look at him before she left._

&&&

"I can't believe you yelled at Buffy," Angel screamed at Darla on the drive to the bed and breakfast they were staying at.

"What's the big deal? It's not like the idiot knows we are sleeping together. I just wanted to know what was so fascinating about this girl that makes you so determined not to leave her and frankly I just don't see it." Darla glared at him as she turned a corner in her red convertible.

&&&

"_I just don't see why he couldn't end up with Esmerelda." Willow declared as they were walking out of English Literature. "They could have the wedding right there. Beneath the very bell-tower where he labored thanklessly for all those years."_

"_No, see, it can't, it can't end like that," Tara declared. "Because all of Quasimodo's actions were selfishly motivated. He had no moral compass, no understanding of right. Everything he did, he did out of love for a woman who would never be able to love him back. Also, you can tell it's not going to have a happy ending when the main guy's all bumpy." _

"_What did you think, Buffy?" Willow asks turning to face Buffy._

"_The test isn't till next week, right?" Buffy shrugs. "I don't have an opinion till then."_

"_But, you read it, right?" Willow asked suspiciously._

"_Kind of not. I rented the movie." Buffy admitted._

"_Oh, the one with Charles Laughton?" Tara smiled understandingly._

"_I don't know. Was he one of the singing gargoyles?" Buffy asked._

"_Oh boy." Willow and Tara exchange a glance and walk off._

"_What, I, I'm kidding!" Buffy laughed running after them so fast that she didn't notice Angel standing behind a pillar staring at her or Darla walking up behind him._

"_So this is where you keep running off to," Darla sneered watching the three woman leave laughing. "I can't believe you are still in love with her."_

"_Darla," Angel starts to explain._

"_No Angel, there is nothing you can say. We are over." Darla storms off leaving Angel by himself._


	8. Chapter 8

"_Buffy, wait up," a voice Buffy had never thought she'd hear again screamed behind her before she froze. "I thought that was you with short hair," Angel smiled coming up to her._

"_Angel, what," was all Buffy could say in her shock. "What do you want? We are over." Buffy seemed to get her voice and her legs back at the same time and started walking again._

"_I'm sorry, I made a mistake with Darla. I never meant to hurt you." Angel grabbed her arm. "Please give me one more chance."_

"_No, and if you don't let me go," but the rest of Buffy's threat was silenced by Angel's kiss._

_Spike standing with flowers at his car to surprise Buffy was so floored by the fact that she was kissing someone else that he dropped the flowers._

_After the shock of the kiss Buffy looked up to see Spike get in his car and leave. "Damn" was the only thing she could say before she ran home to Willow's place._

&&&

"Hey, Willow," Buffy smiled coming in from work at the Double Meat. "Long time no see."

"Buffy," Willow got up from the couch and hugged her best friend. "I thought you'd forgotten that I existed."

"Sorry Wills, but working two jobs is kind of keeping me busy. Anyway Angel is away for a week and I thought it was a perfect time to catch up on girl talk and..." Buffy dug in her purse for the earring she'd found on the bathroom counter weeks ago. "Return this."

Willow looked at the earring quizzically, "It's not mine or Tara's, but I'll ask Anya and Cordy if it's theirs."

&&&

"_Spike's on a 'business trip' until next week," Buffy slammed down the phone in the kitchen catching Willow's expression. "I'm sorry, but I can't believe that I actually let Angel kiss me and scare off Spike in the process. I am a horrible kissing slut." _

Willow sighed and looked at her best friend, "No, you're not, but I think that you might want to work out your issues with Angel before Spike gets back if you want to salvage your relationship with Spike, which I know you do, because you haven't been as happy as you are with him since I've known you."

"_Thanks Wills," is all Buffy says before she runs out the door._


	9. Chapter 9

"_Angel," Buffy banged on his door. "I know you're in there and we need to talk."_

_Angel swung open the door and hugged her, "I knew you'd come back to me."_

"_I'm not coming back to you, I want to tell you what's been going on in my life since I left you." Buffy explained sitting down on the couch. "I got a school loan and I'm back in school with Willow and Tara."_

"_That's great. I always said you should go back to school after my art collection was finished. It's a little premature but, we'll work out the money issues later." Angel sat down next to her. _

"And," Buffy continued as if Angel hadn't interrupted her, "I met a great guy who I love a lot and he saw us today and was extremely hurt. I need you to promise…" but just then the phone rang. Angel gave Buffy an apologetic look as he answered it.

"_Angel, I think I'm pregnant," Darla blurted into the phone as a way of greeting._

&&&

"You're pregnant," Willow gasped at Buffy.

"Yeah, I know I should tell Angel first, but the doctor just told me this morning and I've been bursting to tell someone." Buffy smiled at her best friend.

"When I asked what was the real reason for coming over that didn't involve an earring. I wasn't expecting this." Willow sat down on the couch in shock. "So when are you going to tell Angel?"

"I'm going to call him at the bed and breakfast tonight." Buffy happily sat down next to her friend.

&&&

_After Angel hung up the phone he made an excuse to go to the bathroom leaving Buffy staring at the phone. Who had called him that had shaken him so badly? With a determined look in her eye she found the phone's incoming call list and dialed the last phone number._

"_Angel, why did you hang up on me when I told you I'm pregnant?" Darla yelled into the phone. "What's wrong with you?"_

_Buffy just hung up the phone when Angel returned to the room. _

"_Buffy, what" Angel asked as she started to head towards the door._

"_Angel, have a nice life with Darla and your baby and stay the hell away from me." Buffy exclaimed as she slammed the door behind her._


	10. Chapter 10

_Buffy couldn't take it anymore. She was going over to the bar and ask someone, anyone, if they knew when Spike was coming back from his trip. "Willow, I'm going out."_

"_Have fun finding Spike." Willow and Tara smiled from the couch where they were snuggly watching television together._

"_Hey, watch out." Buffy had been coming down the stairs to the apartment so fast she hadn't notice the man standing in front of the apartment until she ran into him. When she looked up to see his face she gasped._

"We have to stop meeting like this Luv," Spike smirked as she recovered from her shock and hugged him.

"_Oh Spike, I am so sorry. I was just telling Angel to get out of my life when from out of nowhere he kisses me and before I get a chance to disentangle myself and slap him I see you leaving. I never meant to hurt you like that and after you left I told him off royally and I don't think he'll bother us again." Buffy looked into his blue eyes for a glint of forgiveness. _

"_Of course I forgive you if you forgive me." Spike smiled back at her and then sighed. "I was afraid that with the bad timing and suddenness of the trip you wouldn't forgive me. My mom got really sick and I had to move her out of the country cottage she's lived in since she was eighteen and into an assisted living apartment next to the hospital. I think the move was harder on her than being sick."_

"_Oh Spike, I'm so sorry here I am pathetically worried about my love life when something really big is happening to your mother. Is there anything I can do? I have time off between classes maybe if you introduce me I can keep her company."_

"_That would be really nice Luv, and I want you to meet her, but with the move and the medical treatments disorienting her it would be better to meet her after she gets adjusted to everything." Just then Spike's phone rang and after a few moments of listening he looked grave. "I'll be right there," and turned off the phone. "My mom," he explained, "I really have to go."_

"_I understand," Buffy smiled weakly. "I really hope she gets better."_

"_No one expects the Spanish inquisition" Spike sighed but then looked at Buffy. "Oi, cheer up Luv. I'm sure my mom will be fine. So sure in fact that I will be at the bar tomorrow night waiting for you to show up and make my life better."_

_Buffy smiled, "I think I can manage that." As they kiss she is both comforted that they are back together and worried that he needs to go see his mother. After groaning into his mouth she whispers, "You'd better get going or I'm not going to be able to let you leave." They share a look of understanding and promise before Spike runs to his car and leaves and Buffy heads back upstairs. _

&&&

"Hey Angel," Buffy said into the phone when called the bed and breakfast that night.

"Buffy, What is it? Is something wrong?" Angel asked nervously staring at the bathroom where Darla was currently located.

"No, I just wanted to here your voice" Buffy assured him. "I miss you when you're away."

"I miss you too sweetie," Angel smiled into the phone.

"So I need to tell you something wonderful that I just found out," Buffy began to gather up her courage to tell Angel about the baby when she heard a woman screaming on the other end of the line. "What was that?" Buffy asked.

Angel made exaggerated gestures to Darla screaming that he was on the phone with Buffy. "Nothing, there seems to be a sex act taking place next door. Oh, and there's room service I really better go. I'll talk to you when I get home okay." Angel slammed down the phone and glared at Darla.

As Buffy hung up the phone she just sighed, "So I found out that we are going to have a baby."

&&&

As Buffy doodled Spike's name all over her school schedule in class the next day she was shocked to realize that she hadn't had her period in the almost two months since she started dating Spike. 'This doesn't mean anything.' She tried to stay calm before class let out and she could go grab a pregnancy test. 'I've missed my period before.' 'Yeah but not right after having sex with the sexiest man alive.'

&&&

"What do you think you are doing?" Angel screamed at Darla. "I was on the phone with Buffy."

"I'm sorry," Darla sneered in pain, "that my possibly breaking my toe on the bathtub interrupts your scheme to keep Buffy and Me in constant romantic limbo."

"Darla, I didn't mean." Angel began.

"Save it Angel, I got back with you in the hopes that eventually it would be just the two of us again, but she's always going to come between us. So just go back to her and never call me again ever." Darla grabbed her purse and limped to the door slamming it on the way to the hospital.

&&&

_Buffy strolled into the bar nervously that night. She loved Spike, but she wasn't sure with her going back to school and his mother in the hospital that now was the right time to have a baby, but right time or not the baby was coming so she might as well tell him. He deserved to know. "Hey," she smiled warmly at the bartender she recognized. "I was hoping Spike would be here already. Do you know where he is?"_

"_He went over to visit his mother in the hospital about an hour ago." The bartender shrugged as he headed over to a group of people waiting for their drinks._

"_Well I guess I could meet him over there," Buffy glanced around the room on last time. _

_Buffy was humming as she walked into the entrance to the hospital. The cool night air had calmed her nerves and she was almost giddy about telling Spike the good news. She asked the nurse at the reception desk for the room number for Mrs. Pratt and was rewarded with the shock of her life. _

"_Her son and his wife are visiting her now, but you can see her as soon as they come down ah here they are now," the nurse smiled helpfully. _

Buffy turned to see Spike kissing a beautiful dark haired woman who was indeed wearing a wedding ring. Buffy couldn't breathe and her only defense was to run out of the building.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N Okay so this is the last chapter and I have to warn you that some of it maybe quite disturbing, but I felt the need to keep the general plot of the movie intact. Even a Romantic Comedy can have its darker side.

&&&

"Surprise," Angel grabbed Buffy as she walked through the door from work. "I came home early."

"Angel," Buffy kissed him. "I missed you."

"Now, I want to hear about everything that happened while I was gone." Angel pulled Buffy over to the couch where she sat on his lap.

"Well two things actually," Buffy smiled at him. "The small thing is I have an interview tonight for a real job. It's only a secretarial position, but I'll have a chance to work my way up and." Angel's phone rang.

"Sorry," Angel apologized and answered the phone.

"Angel, I need you to come over tonight. I have to tell you something." Darla snapped into the phone.

As Angel hung up the phone he got up off the couch almost dumping Buffy on the floor.

"Angel, What is it?" Buffy asked concerned.

"Nothing, I have an appointment tonight as well. So, what is the other thing?"

Buffy looked at his distracted face and knew that this was not the right time. "I have to start getting ready for the interview, but if everything goes okay tonight I can tell you the other thing when we celebrate my new job. I love you."

"I love you too," Angel kissed her before she headed into the bathroom to shower.

&&&

_Willow jumped when she heard a knock at the door. She knew that Buffy was terribly upset about Spike, because she'd called, but she had hoped Buffy would be home by now. "Buffy, it's about time." She opened the door to see Spike. "Spike, I have nothing to say to you. Leave Buffy the hell alone."_

_Spike in total surprise by the reaction of the sweet red head that was Buffy's best friend gasped. "What's going on? I was late getting to the bar tonight and the bartender said that Buffy had left."_

"_She saw you with your wife at the hospital," Willow yelled at him before she slammed the door in his face._

"_Bollocks," Spike vented before running off to find Buffy._

&&&

"It's not possible," Angel stared at the pregnancy test Darla had handed him. "We were always so careful."

"Well careful or not, we are going to have a baby," Darla stated before running to the bathroom.

When the doorbell rang a few seconds later, Angel answered it and was surprised to see Buffy on the other side of the door. Darla came out of the bathroom and smiled weakly, "Ah, Ms. Summers you are right on time, but unfortunately I have to reschedule because I'm trying to decide whether or not I am going to keep your boyfriend's baby.

&&&

_The rain was pouring and Spike was soaked before he got to the cliff. He just knew Buffy had to be there. She just had to be. "Buffy," he called out to the female shadow in front of him and was rewarded by the shadow jumping from her seat in the grass and running. "Please Luv, let me explain."_

_Buffy turned around soaking wet to face him, "There is nothing to explain. I can't believe after everything that happened with Angel I was actually stupid enough to trust you. I thought you were different. You are just like him."_

"_Buffy, that woman you saw today is my ex-wife. We never had the heart to tell my mother that we divorced and when my mom got sick Dru volunteered to help. Drusilla's always been the daughter my mother never had. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about her, but I told her about you and she and her new husband are happy for us. I love you."_

&&&

Buffy couldn't speak and the only thing that was coming to her mind was the over welling urge to run. So she ran as fast as she could out of the apartment and down the stairs. Angel called out to her and she was so distracted that she lost her footing and fell down the last two flights of stairs and laid there unconscious.

&&&

Buffy and Spike slowly walk back to Willow's Apartment hand in hand. They both knew that they were going to have deal with what had happened tonight, but for right now they were content just being together again. All the fighting, all the anger, it could wait until tomorrow. "I better call Willow to let her know I'm okay and coming back." Buffy sighed as she spotted a payphone. "I'll be right back." She turned around half way across the street. "I'm glad we made up tonight." She was so distracted by his smile that she didn't even notice the truck barreling down the road until it hit her.

&&&

At the hospital, Angel was nervously pacing. This was all his fault. Buffy would never be here if it wasn't for him. He should never have slept with Darla. In the middle of his grief stricken internal rant a doctor came up to him, "Are you with Ms. Summers?"

"Yes, I'm her boyfriend."

"I'm sorry to tell you this, but Ms. Summers has lost the baby."

&&&

_At the hospital, Spike was running with the paramedics until they stopped him at the door to the operating room. "She's in critical condition, if you want us to save her life you are going to have to wait out here."_

_After what felt like an eternity one of the surgeons came out, "Are you with Ms. Summers?"_

"_Yes, I'm her boyfriend."_

"_I'm sorry to tell you this, but She lost the baby and is still in pretty bad shape herself. I'm not sure she is going to make it if she has internal injuries, but we are putting her in the recovery room now if you'd like to see her. She's still unconscious."_

"_Thank you doctor," Spike ran to the recovery room where he collapsed into the chair next to Buffy. "Hey Luv, the doctor says you're going to be fine." He lied. "I'm sorry you lost the baby, but we are going to have plenty of time together to create a whole big beautiful family. I never told you this, but I am so glad that you were on the subway that day. You changed my life Luv and I will always love you."_

_Just then the machine monitoring Buffy's heart flat-lined and Spike collapsed into tears._

&&&

Buffy woke up in her hospital room to see Angel staring down at her. "Hey sweetie, if there's anything I can do for you. Anything at all."

"Anything," Buffy whispered weakly.

"Anything," Angel assured her.

"I want you to walk out that door and never come near me again," She stated before she turned over and fell back asleep.

Angel quietly left the hospital.

A day later Buffy is leaving her hospital room to go to stay with Willow and Tara when she misses the elevator by seconds. When the next elevator arrives only one man, who had been upstairs visiting his mother, was in the elevator as she entered.

"Are you okay Luv," Spike asks worriedly to the woman entering the elevator.

"I'm fine," Buffy assured him. "No one expects the Spanish inquisition."

They look at each other in a sense of déjà vu as the elevator door closes.


End file.
